(36) And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.  (37) And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.  (38) But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.  (39) And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough.' "   [Luke 5:36-39]

I've pondered over this passage for years now and prayed that the Lord would show me something to make sense of this.   What in the world does this mean?  Before, I always tried to make sense of the entire parable as one piece, but I think there are a few truths tucked in here that can be pulled out individually.  Then, maybe it will make sense as a whole.  Let's take it apart one verse at a time.

(36) And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 

Jesus talks about sewing a patch on a piece of cloth.  From what I understand of cloth, once washed, it takes a new shape and loses a bit of its original color.  Once washed many times, it will eventually stop changing shape and size, but its color will continually fade with age.  So, if I were to sew a patch of new cloth on an old garment, the new would shrink and its color would begin to change after just the first washing.  Of course, the old garment would be already faded and shrunken from many washings.  The result would be a tearing away of the stitching between the patch and the garment.  Besides, the colors of the cloths would never likely match because the old garment has a head start on fading.  The two are different colors.

Likewise, characteristics of Christ cannot be placed upon an unregenerate man because the Holy Spirit would cause growth and change, tearing away from the old man.  A huge rift would be the result.  The two cannot be be sewn together.  Besides, they don't match.  There is no similarity in the appearance of the characteristics of the Spirit-filled man and the unregenerate man.  One is light, the other deeply dark.  Christlikeness must be placed on a changed, renewed man, who has been given a soft and supple heart, able to grow and change with the movement of the Holy Spirit.

(37) And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.  (38) But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 

Wineskins, when new, are soft and supple leather -- able to accomodate the expanding gases emitted by the fermentation process.  Old wineskins, however, are brittle and hardened with time, not able to handle this expansion.  They would break if filled with new wine. 

Likewise, the old, dry, hard, brittle heart of unregenerate man is not able to handle the Holy Spirit coming in.  The Spirit comes in and cleans house, making radical changes in thought, word, deed, and desire.  He would burst the brittle unregenerate heart.  The Holy Spirit must move into a heart that he has been renewed, changed, made supple and soft, is ready for growth and change, and is able to accomodate expansion in love, compassion, and desire for the things of God.  The "new wine" of the Holy Spirit must be placed into "new wineskins", or a new heart.

(39) And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough.

Those accustomed to old wine, who have never tasted the new, are satisfied with what they have.  They have no desire for new wine because they don't even realize theirs is old and undesirable.  They are drinking what they are accustomed to, all they have, all they know ... the old wine.

Likewise, unregenerate man has never tasted the newness of life in Christ.  He knows nothing of it and has no desire to obtain it. He is satisfied with his sinful self and believes it is enough.  He has no idea his life and heart are bad or undesirable.

Praise God that He gives us new "patches" or desires, to sew onto new "garments" or our new, regenerated man.  He changes us from dark to light so that we match Him through the regeneration and sanctification processes.  Praise God that He gives us supple hearts (wineskins), into which to pour Himself (the new wine), so that we do not burst when He begins to change and grow us in the grace and knowledge of Christ!  Thank God that He does not leave us in that state of being satisfied with the old wine, for without the Holy Spirit's work, we would surely be drinking it now!

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come."  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."  (Colossians 3:17)

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."  (Colossians 3:23-24)

Yesterday I met with my sisters Donna, Kiana, and Katy to minister to our friends, Julie & John.  We've been meeting with them for 2 months now, sharing Christ and teaching them from the Scriptures.  It has been a joyous and special time between us and the Lord as He's empowered us to overcome a steep language barrier to proclaim the glories of God to these beloved people.    Normally, we meet at the food court in our local mall for a 2-3 hour study.  We've been going through the gospel of Matthew and it has been an amazing trip through the first 6 chapters.  God has blessed us with a wonderful Bible that has both our languages side by side.  What an amazing gift and tool He has given us.

This meeting was a little different.  Our friends had to work, so we went to their workplace, which happens to be a Chinese restaurant.  We  had a wonderful lunch and sweet time with Julie as she served our table.  Her husband made us sushi -- I actually ate raw eel!  I may never do that again, but the joy on his face when he made it for me and handed me the plate was beautiful.  They love serving us.  It's not a job to them.  I was touched by their love toward us even as they did their work.  Needless to say, as they worked, it was difficult to get much focused time to talk and discuss the Scriptures.  We had little snips of time here and there, until the Lord brought the greatest opportunity!

Julie said, "I have to break beans, then I have one hour break."  So, before I even realized what was happening, the Lord moved my mouth to say, "We'll work with you!"  Minutes later, all of us went into this big room and sat around a huge table filled with about 5,000 fresh grean beans.  There were 4 of Julie's co-workers, only one of which spoke any English, and all of us, gathered around breaking beans together.  It was a grand time filled with the beautiful sound of Chinese words that we couldn't even understand, smiles and laughs, hugs, and of course, the sharing of the gospel of Christ.   It turned out that Julie had already been talking about Jesus to her friends, so they were somewhat familiar with "Yesu" (Jesus).  We were able to leave them all with Gospels of John in their language and leave with our hearts overflowing with so much joy in being able to serve them this way.  I asked them if a customer had ever broken beans with them before.  Ken said, "No. First time.  First time."   It was a unique but beautiful opportunity.  You never know how God will open a door or what the door will look like.  Maybe it will look like a huge pile of green beans!

May we always have eyes to see and obedient hearts to jump through the doors running with the love of Christ.  I've missed countless doors of opportunity in my walk with Christ.  I pray He'd shove me through doors if that's what it takes for my stubborn flesh to do His will.

As our Chinese friends taught us to say.  "Sia Sia Yesu"  Thank You, Jesus!"

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love."  (1 John 4:7-8)

I was reading through 1 John 4 yesterday and just thinking ... is there any middle ground between love and hate?  We know that if someone does not love God, then they are a hater of God -- His enemy.  His wrath is upon them.  So, what about love in reference to people?  If we don't love people, do we hate them?  I think so.  I don't think there's any fence-riding when it comes to God's commands.  If we fail to love someone, or a group of people,  then I believe we hate them, and thereby sin gravely against God. 

If I love God with all my heart, mind, body, and soul, is it possible for long-standing hatred to live in my heart?  Is it possible to "practice enmity"?  This question is difficult to chew on but an important one to ponder.  There are so many Christ-claimers walking among us who feel bitter, hateful feelings toward a person -- or maybe a number of persons.  As Christians, we should be constantly testing ourselves to see if we are of the faith.  We should evaluate our walk to ensure it is consistent with what we claim to be and believe.

"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kindgom of God."  (Galatians 5:19-21)

In the past, when reading this passage in Galatians, I always focused more on the outward sins, especially the immorality.  I sort of skipped over the "enmities".  What exactly is enmity anyway?  

        Enmity - deep-seated hatred, animosity, hostility, antagonism, antipathy, ill will toward someone. 
                    (American Heritage Dictionary)

Okay, there it is!  Enmity is the polar opposite of love!  If we don't love God, we are at enmity with Him.  If we don't love a person, we have enmity toward them.  Christian, is this okay?  Does this bring pleasure and glory to Christ?  Does this show others the Spirit of Christ living within us?  Of course not! 

"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions."  (Proverbs 10:12)

"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  (Matthew 5:43-44)

It is absolutely not okay for me to harbor ill feelings toward someone, which amounts to hating them.  It's one thing if I simply feel them, recognize they are sinful, repent, and walk on.  While a grave sin against God, this is not "walking in" or "practicing" hatred toward someone.  But, if I walk in the hatred, if I "practice" it, if I continually have hateful thoughts, hateful words, hateful looks and general animosity toward anyone, then the Scriptures say I don't belong to God!  Now, that is scary, sister!!!  That will make you fall on your face before a Holy God, brother!!!

What if I am thinking to myself, 'They're not saved.  God hates the unregenerate, so why can't I?"  I need to tell myself, "You're not God, honey!  God hates the reprobate because He's holy! He's God!  He has the right!  He made them!  He decided to keep their eyes closed to the truth!  He has good purpose for His hatred!  You don't!  You're not holy!  You have no right to hate them because you're just as sinful and wretched as they are!  You don't stand above them in any way whatsoever!"


As a Christian, what can I then hate?  Well, here are a few things permitted by Scripture...
        1. Evil  "Hate evil, love good, and establish justice at the gate!  Perhaps the Lord God of hosts may be gracious to the remnant of Joseph."  (Amos 5:15)
        2.  False ways   "From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way."  (Psalm 119:104)
        3. Anything in life that steals our affections away from Christ, our ultimate and only treasure!  "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal."  (John 12:25)

So, friend, who do you hate?  Better yet, who do you "not love"?  Evaluate your heart and search whether you stand in the grave sin of practicing enmity toward someone, which labels you as one whom the Scriptures say won't inherit the kindgom of God!  Beg the Lord for forgiveness. Repent before Him.  Go to the one you hate and repent before them.  It's likely they know you have animosity toward them and are wondering why your hateful attitude and actions don't jive with your claim to love and serve Christ.  Be truthful with yourself, because God already knows!  Lying to yourself about the hate in your heart makes you guilty of a double sin!  "He who conceals hatred has lying lips, and he who spreads slander is a fool." (Proverbs 10:18)   [Just in case anyone was thinking it, this passage doesn't mean hate openly and behave as horribly toward people as you desire to in your heart.  If God hasn't granted me the ability to love certain people from my heart, I am still responsible for my behavior toward them, which should be always God-honoring and Christ-exalting. If we don't have love for people, we should show them the love Christ has shown to us...His love.]

"We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."  (1 John 4:16)

Christians, may God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, grant us the ability to love all people from the heart, while we have a special brotherly love toward the saints.  May He grant us repentance for any hatred we have harbored in our hearts toward anyone.  If we stand in the condition of having "practiced" the sin of hatred, may God grant us repentance and faith, saving our wretched souls!  May the Lord break down pride, which is the root of our "lack of love" for others-- driven by our sinful minds exalting SELF over another person, which we do for a number of reasons.  May God be supremely magnified by our thoughts and actions toward those made in His image, which is all people.  May there be unity between our walk and talk.  May we Christians live in submission to the Scriptures we claim to treasure so deeply.

"For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another."  (Titus 3:3)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love..." (Galations 5:22)

It has been a really long time since I've written a blog.  This won't be my typical Scripture study blog.  I want to ask all of you to pray for my brother (B.H.) who is in missions in China.  He has been there for 4 weeks and has 2 more to go.  Please pray that God would strengthen and embolden him to speak the truth of Christ in the face of much danger and opposition.  Pray that his heart and mind would be undistracted and focused on the task at hand, which is to preach the beautiful gospel of Christ.  Pray that God would prepare the hearts of those to whom he would witness that they may respond to the message in repentance and faith.  Pray that he would do all that God has sent him there to do with a joyfully willing heart, regardless of risk or endangerment of persecution. 

Also, please pray for my two friends, F.J. and J.Q.  God is working in their hearts and giving them a thirst for the Scriptures.  There is much challenge in ministering to them as we struggle with the language barrier.  But, praise God that He puts the truth into our hearts and enables us to understand the Scriptures.  It's not about eloquent delivery or convincing speech.  It's about people hearing and reading the Word of God and their hearts being cut deeply by its sharp double edge! 

Please pray for all those who will be sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ during the Olympics next month. 

May Christ alone be glorified in all we do, say, and think.

 "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.  Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.  There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard."   (Psalm 19:1-3)

I've always loved this passage.  Certainly, God shows His glory each day in His creation.  But today, I was pondering on the words "are telling" and "is declaring".  That's an active process that goes on minute by minute.  Every minute, God displays His glory in a fresh way.  God is creative and imaginative.  He's constantly making new paintings in the sky, and no two are exactly the same.  He's been doing it for thousands of years.  Just think, the sky totally changes on a cloudy day every few minutes.  The sky looks different in various parts of the world at any given second.  In fact, if I call a friend in another county, the sky will look totally different just a few miles away.  Amazing!  God is painting a multitude of beautiful and original displays in the sky over multitudes of peoples in multitudes of nations, simultaneously, so that they may all have knowledge revealed to them of His God-ness and glory. 

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."  (Romans 1:20)

So, just in case you missed God's display of His glory this minute, walk outdoors in 5 minutes from now and see a new display of His mighty, creative, perfect, imaginative power.  Also, note that my discussion here is limited to what He displays in the sky.  He certainly shows His glory in millions of other ways as well.  Ever looked through a microscope at a leaf?  a fly eye?  a human cell?  the list is endless!  What an amazing God!

"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name;  because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing."  (Isaiah 40:26)

"Now the Lord was angry with me on your account, and swore that I would not cross the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.  For I will die in this land, I shall not cross the Jordan, but you shall cross and take possession of this good land."  (Deuteronomy 4:21-22)

I was studying through this chapter this morning and stopped on these 2 verses.  I read them several times and found myself getting really upset with Moses.  He blamed his sin on the people!  How could he do that?  He's writing Scripture ... how could he just blame his sin on someone else?   Wait a minute!  Whoah Colleene, before you get too mad at Moses, remember ...

"For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."  (Romans 15:4)

Okay, with that in mind, I just finished with the book of Numbers.  So, it was fresh in my mind the real reason Moses was punished by God and was not allowed to enter the promised land.  "But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."  (Numbers 20:12)  So, I asked God, 'Why did Moses say this in the Scriptures?  It seems like a lie?  Why's it there?' 

Have you ever heard anyone say 'be careful what you pray for'? 

God began to show me plenty of instances where I had rationalized my sin because of something done by someone else in my proximity.  I'm a reactor, taking in what others do and behaving in ways that reflect my perception of their behavior towards me.  (Boy, that's a self-centered sentence! But it's true!)  Unfortunately, many times, my reactive behavior is worldly rather than godly.  There are times when I immediately know I've sinned and I'm on my face before God seeking forgiveness.  Other times,  I rationalize my behavior or thoughts based on the wrong assumption that 'I didn't deserve that', or 'he/she made me mad'.  How silly!  I mean, when you really sit and think about that, isn't it silly? 

First of all, I don't deserve anything but eternal damnation and the wrath of God.  I'm a sinner, through and through.  Wicked to the core without the redemptive work of Christ in my heart.  I don't deserve any special treatment from God, or anyone He's created.  Secondly, no one can "make" me mad.  No one can force me to feel or display any emotion.  The emotions I feel and display are an overflow of what lies within my heart.  If godliness, love, forgiveness, gentleness, meekness ... the righteousness of Christ lie there, my emotions and reactions will be Christ-like, selfless, and glorifying to God in all circumstances.  If sin lies within my heart, however, explosions of anger and wicked hateful thoughts will abide.

When I sin, I would do well to pray as David did, saying, "Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me."  (Psalm 51:4-5)  If soneone does or says something that is an irritation to me, or causes me hurt of some kind, I am responsible before God to honor Him with my behavior.  If I react in a self-centered, worldly display of bent emotion, then I sin against Christ who redeemed me and lives within me.  Further,if I then rationalize my sin claiming 'but, you made me mad!', then I sin more gravely, as Moses did in Deuteronomy 4, casting blame for my sin upon another.

Oh Lord, create in me a heart that is clean and humbled.  May I take full responsibility for my sin and fall on my face before Your holiness, knowing that You have all power to cleanse.  Come Holy Spirit and fill me, giving me the ability to remain grounded in Christlikeness at all times, rejecting the tremendous fleshly urge to react to my surroundings in fits of varying worldly emotion.  Make my mind to be honest with myself and others, seeing my estate clearly, that I may ever know my deep need for Your grace at every moment.

Don't worry, I'm not going to talk about Bon Jovi. 

I was reading in James this morning and the Lord just sort of stopped me in my tracks and had me meditating on this passage.

"For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."  (James 2:26)

James draws comparisons here between body and faith, and spirit and works.  I must admit that I was perplexed at this comparison and got pretty excited when God began laying upon my heart some level of understanding on this passage.  Let me just share what He laid upon my heart.

• The spirit dwells within the body just as works dwell within a life of faith.
• The spirit is that unique characteristic which sets humans apart from animals.  Humans are made in God's image, having flesh and spirit, unlike animals, which are merely flesh.  Comparatively, works (done for God's glory and for the benefit of others) are that characteristic that sets believers apart in the eyes of the world as those aliens who are born of God, spiritually made in Christ's image --  little Christs --  Christians.
• The spirit is breathed into the body by God at human conception just as good works are breathed into the life of one given faith by God at the new birth. 

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."  (Ephesians 2:10)

James 2:26 is a glorious verse to help us to analyze our walk with Christ, friends.  Are we dead or alive?  Do our lives show evidence of a spirit born anew in Christ?  Are we about the business of doing good works prepared for us beforehand by God?  Are we looking to the world like the workmanship of God created in Christ?  Or do we look like the pagans?  I don't know about you, but this puts me flat on my face before the holy God of the universe, pleading with Him that He make me obedient.

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!  Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you -- unless indeed you fail the test?"  (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Yesterday morning was one like many others.  I saw my husband off to work, finished my Bible Study for the morning, and headed off to the shower.  In the midst of my shower, I began hearing some loud banging sounds, which to me sounded like they came from within my house.  I thought someone was either trying to break down a door or was already inside throwing things around.  Immediately, I was filled with fear thinking all sorts of serious problems with the coupling of an intruder in my home and my being in the shower.  My obsessive- compulsive mind began playing out scenerios -- and all were horrific, when suddenly the Lord brought to my mind...

"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."  (Matthew 10:28)

"Do not fear, for I am with you;  Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."  (Isaiah 41:10)

A most amazing calm flooded my soul and I began thinking rationally, the fear having completely subsided.  I finished my shower (so I wouldn't be slipping all over the place in soap and shampoo), got out and locked the bathroom door (after hearing another loud bang), dressed and loaded my Beretta, prayed and then went through the entire house room by room.  Praise the God of heaven and earth that there was no one in my home, that I didn't have to use my gun, and most of all -- that He replaced my fleshly fear with a heavenly trust in His goodness, no matter the outcome.  Only God can do that!

I searched the entire house, inside and out, never finding the source of the noise.  Maybe it was the Lord testing my faith?  Maybe it was the Lord showing me what He could do through the power of His living Word planted deep in my heart.  Whatever the case, glory be to the Lord! 

I must confess that last night I talked to my husband about the whole thing and I did tell him that I might start taking a shower with a locked door and my loaded AR15.  So, maybe my faith still needs a little boost, Lord.  Come Lord Jesus and grant me faith that brings the peace that surpasses all understanding.  May I not live with a spirit of fear, knowing by whom I've been bought and by whom I'm kept.  Thank you for the measure of faith You miraculously granted to me yesterday morning.  May my heart and mind be united to trust in You!

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)

Proverbs 31:10-31 ... We're all familiar with this passage admonishing us as women to be busy about service to our Lord and family.  I've been guilty of reading this passage and of thinking all her activities happened in one day.  I've sort of looked at this passage as an account of "one day in the life of a godly wife", and thought I fall so short because I don't make my own clothes out of the finest materials, buy and sell land, physically feed the poor, and function joyfully in sleeplessness ... all on a daily basis.  I think to read this passage this way would be likened to pulling one detail out of one of Jesus' parables and building a doctrine upon it.  Parables are intended to teach an overall lesson, not to be plucked apart and have whole doctrines based on single points.  This story of the "excellent wife" is intended the same way, I believe.  There are many nuggets for us here, but one overall teaching.  We'll hit the nuggets first, and then the beautiful overall encourgement for us as wives and as Christians.  By God's grace, and for His glory alone, may we be excellent!

"An excellent wife, who can find?  For her worth is far above jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good and not evil all the days of her life."  (31:10-12)

This introduction is very important and shows the main thrust of what King Lemuel is teaching here.  He's not teaching about one day's work, but a life of service.  After v. 12, he proceeds to give a list of examples of the various ways this woman proves her excellency in joyful service to her Lord, husband, children, servant girls, and the poor.  The list is by no means exhaustive, nor is it prescriptive for us.  It is descriptive, giving a few details about her heart for servitude. 

"She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight." (31:13)

We make the mistake of focusing too much on the things she did and miss her attitude.  Here, Lemuel puts in a jewel for us, ladies.  Work with delight!  Do you scrub your toilet with delight?  Do you wash and fold the laundry for the 5,466,798,901st time with delight in your soul?  Do you wash those mud prints off the tile floor with joy in your mind?  Do you prepare food for your family day after day with pleasure? 

"She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens."  (31:14-15)

Okay, so my grocery store is not exactly considered to be "from afar".  The point is that she makes sure her family has food.  She goes to whatever lengths necessary, all things considered, to put food in the mouths of her family and all those under her care.  She gets up before daybreak -- that's not really that early, ladies.  The sun comes up here around 6:30 a.m. (Of course, that changes in different parts of the year with Daylight Savings and all).  Now, don't go setting your clock for 6:29 and think you're okay.  The point is, get up early enough to be able to have things in order to feed your family in the morning.  That will depend upon your family, when everyone has to be ready for the day's work.  For my family, it's 5:00 a.m.  For yours, it may be different.

"She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.  She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong."  (31:16-17)

I must confess, I'm not a Real Estate agent nor a body builder.  I don't have enough money at my disposal to buy an acre of land, much less a field. (Just for curiosity's sake, I checked the price for a field on a road between home and church last night.  It was $700,000 for 50 acres!  This lady won't be buying that field!)  And, I don't lift weights enough to have any noticeable biceps.  So, what's the teaching here for me?  I believe it is to have in mind ways you can benefit your family financially and to work diligently.  It may be helping out with a family business, cutting coupons, planting a garden, mending clothes to get a few extra miles out of those play pants, sacrificing expensive toys for yourself, planning trips so that you may reduce mileage and save gas money, and the list could go on.  Strength comes from a working life, as opposed to softness that results from a life of leisure.  There's definitely a broad teaching here that we are to work hard and not to be caught up in worldly, leisurely laying around on the couch watching TV and eating the proverbial "Bon-Bon's". 

"She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night." (31:18)

Does this lady ever go to bed?  We already read earlier that she gets up before daybreak to feed her family.  I believe this teaches that she is not anxious for physical rest because her heart finds so much joy in service.  She's busy past dark.  Darkness comes at different times of the evening, depending upon the time of year and your location.  So, again, don't get too hung up on an exact time.  This is a matter of avoiding slothfulness, not a prescription for sleep deprivation. 

"She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle.  She extends her hands to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy."  (31:19-21)

Here, we can learn to be just as mindful of stretching our hands to the poor as we are of stretching our hands to our work.  Both are a part of our nature in Christ.  We give ourselves to our work and to the needy -- pouring ourselves out for the benefit of others.  Isn't this the Christian life?

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household.  For all her household are clothed with scarlet.  She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies belts to the tradesmen.  Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future."  (31:21-25)

Do we have to wear the finest clothes made of the finest materials in order to be godly?  Certainly not! (James 2:1-5) The broad teaching here is that we take the measures necessary to care for our family, clothing them.  We clothe them and ourselves as God provides.  But, most importantly, we, by God's grace and the work of the Spirit, are clothed in godly character, strength and dignity, smiling at the future because we trust a sovereign and good God to provide for our every need.

"She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."  (31:26)

We are to think before we speak, making sure the words we say are edifying to others and glorifying to God.  (Ephesians 4:29,  Colossians 4:5-6, Proverbs 16:24) We are also to study hard so that we may teach well. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

"She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her saying, 'Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.' Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." (31:27-30)

Here's the overall message, ladies ... Take care of what God has given you.  Work hard with joy in Christ.  Pour out yourself to the service of others to the glory of God, who has called you to do so.  As women, the most important ministry we've been given is our families.  We are our husbands' helpers and our children's caretakers and teachers.  Remember though, this call to work hard with joy in Christ is not just the call to wives, but the call to all Christians.  We all fall desperately short, so may we pray for strength from the Lord! May we be granted energetic hearts for service and abundant joy in Christ that overflows and extends to all those in our care.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."  (Ephesians 2:10) 

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for  men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." (Colossians 3:23-24) 

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."  (Colossians 3:17)

"As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore."  (John 6:66)

I've studied this passage so many times before and heard so many people say various reasons why they think the disciples withdrew from Christ.  Most of what I hear is that they left because they had such a hard time with His teachings in John 6:26-58, about eating His flesh and living forever.  In fact, this is the core stance of many who believe that the bread and wine, partaken of at communion, become the actual body and blood of Jesus, to be literally and physically consumed.  I would purport that this interpretation makes the grave mistake of skipping 7 very important verses of Scripture.  To say that the disciples withdrew from Jesus because they couldn't accept the notion of physically eating His flesh would be to completely neglect and ignore John 6:59-65, and a another key truth, which I will outline in the rest of this blog.

Indeed, the notion of "eating" Jesus' body was difficult for those sitting under His teaching.  The difficulties were with their attempt to make His reference literal, rather than spiritual, and with the fact that they had not been granted from the Father to understand or believe.  Clearly, from the beginning of this particular teaching in John 6:26, Jesus speaks in spiritual terms.  The grumbling disciples were looking for physical signs from Jesus and for physical things they could do in order to earn salvation. (John 6:28, 30-31)   They gravely misunderstood the gospel!  Their eyes were focused on the world rather than God.  They were listening with physical ears rather than ears enlightened by the Spirit.

"Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, 'I am the Bread that came down out of heaven.' (John 6:41)

We know that Jesus certainly didn't come down out of heaven as a literal loaf of bread.  He came down as He who would spiritually nurture and "feed" His flock, as their their Bread.  Jesus was speaking in spiritual terms.  Those who were grumbling were those without ears to hear what He was saying.  Jesus referenced that fact when He said, "Do not grumble among yourselves.  No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.  It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me."  By this, Jesus explains why they do not understand His teaching.  They are not part of the group of "everyone who has heard and learned from the Father".  Therefore, they deny His teaching, distort its meaning, and they walk away, completely rejecting the perfect spiritual nourishment Christ alone can provide.  They will never believe unless the Father draws them and gives them understanding that Jesus is the only source of nourishment for their souls.

The disciples also continually referred to God's having provided manna for their ancestors to eat in the wilderness, again proving their focus on the earthly.  Jesus corrected them in John 6:49-51 when He said, "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."  Here, Jesus was clearly teaching them to focus on Him with a heavenly-minded view, not with an earthly-minded, worldy view.  He drew the contrast between physical eating/physical death and spiritual eating/spiritual life, which, when nourished by Christ is eternal in God's presence.  When Jesus said "one may eat of it and not die", he could not have meant they would live eternally in the flesh.  We know that this would not be true, for all physically die.  Therefore, it is clear that He spoke in spiritual terms here as well.  Christ also taught here that He is the glorious fulfillment of the manna in the desert of Moses' time.  God sent the Israelites bread from heaven to sustain their bodies.  God sent Christ (Bread) out of heaven to sustain our souls in redemptive grace. 

The reaction to this teaching on the Bread of Life was grumbling from the unbelieving disciples, and they said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?"  (John 6:60)    The reaction was not departure or withdrawal. 

So, what made these same grumbling disciples later withdraw in John 6:66?

It was the doctrine of Limited Atonement, my friend.  Immediately after the disciples said Jesus' teaching on the Bread of Life was "difficult", He said, "Does this cause you to stumble?  What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.  But there are some of you who do not believe." (John 6:61-64)  "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."  (John 6:65)  What do you think these unbelieving disciples thought about this statement?  What did they do?  "As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore."  (John 6:66)

So, why did they leave?  Because of what He said to them in the previous verse.  Because He told them they did not believe and that they could not ever believe unless it was granted them from the Father.  He told them that salvation was not of them, not of the flesh.  He took glory away from them and gave it all to His Father!  He told them that His teaching was spiritual and the source for eternal life.  Because of this, they left.

"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth."  (Colossians 3:2)